Jene Bramel
Footballguy
This is from my post in the coming FBG Fantasy Roundtable column...
LINK to full Pro Bowl rosters
Offense, shomffense.
As was the case last season, the NFC was loaded at end. John Abraham, Aaron Kampman and Trent Cole all have legitimate arguments over Julius Peppers, particularly Abraham, who's been more consistent against better offensive lines than in recent memory. And it's hard not to see Cole as a better all-around player than Peppers. I'd have put either on my ballot ahead of Peppers. Nice to see Jay Ratliff get recognized. Usually we're banging on the Cowboys' undeserving pick(s). Ratliff absolutely belongs. No question about the two Minnesota tackles. Others have shown flashes (Rocky Bernard, both Giants starters), but these three were the best of the bunch.
Pretty weak OLB group in the NFC this season, so, though Derrick Brooks is getting in on name recognition mostly (he's not even an every-down player any more), it's hard to argue too much. I'd have found a way to recognize Karlos Dansby as an OLB or argue for Thomas Davis' quiet breakout season. Jon Beason is definitely deserving at the reserve ILB spot; there's a strong argument that he's played better than Patrick Willis. Bradie James and London Fletcher get honorable mentions and E.J. Henderson would have been right there had he stayed healthy.
Can't argue with the three cornerback selections. Chris Gamble, Charles Tillman and Corey Webster have all been pretty consistent, but none have a clearly stronger argument. At first glance, Nick Collins is a surprising selection. He's definitely played better this year, though, and O.J. Atogwe may have been his only real competition at FS in the NFC.
The AFC is much weaker at end than the NFC. Both Freeney and Mathis are solid players, but neither are close to the all-around talent that was left out in the NFC. It may have been nice to see a 3-4 end like Aaron Smith or Ty Warren recognized here. Awesome trio of tackles cost Haloti Ngata, Vince Wilfork, Jamal Williams and Tony Brown any chance at recognition. Ngata may be the best defender left off the team in either conference.
Very hard to argue with the three OLB selections, but Calvin Pace, Lamarr Woodley and Keith Bulluck all deserve honorable mention for their solid all-around contributions. Inside, Stephen Cooper and Kirk Morrison toil in silence in the AFC West and DeMeco Ryans battled admirably through injury for most of the season. Lewis and Farrior anchor the best defenses in the conference (along with Tennessee) and were most deserving.
At corner, there's Asomugha and everyone else. The everyone else could have been much different, though. There's an argument that Nick Harper may be a better corner than Cortland Finnegan, which is more praise for Harper than an indictment of Finnegan, who is deserving in his own right. Revis has had his ups and downs this season. Ike Taylor and Kelvin Hayden, as well as an injured Rashean Mathis were probably in the mix as well. Hard to argue with Troy Polamalu, Chris Hope and Ed Reed at safety. Gibril Wilson may not be in their class on the field, but is a solid player. Yeremiah Bell's breakout season could have been recognized as well.
With rare exception, this group looks very solid.
LINK to full Pro Bowl rosters
Offense, shomffense.
As was the case last season, the NFC was loaded at end. John Abraham, Aaron Kampman and Trent Cole all have legitimate arguments over Julius Peppers, particularly Abraham, who's been more consistent against better offensive lines than in recent memory. And it's hard not to see Cole as a better all-around player than Peppers. I'd have put either on my ballot ahead of Peppers. Nice to see Jay Ratliff get recognized. Usually we're banging on the Cowboys' undeserving pick(s). Ratliff absolutely belongs. No question about the two Minnesota tackles. Others have shown flashes (Rocky Bernard, both Giants starters), but these three were the best of the bunch.
Pretty weak OLB group in the NFC this season, so, though Derrick Brooks is getting in on name recognition mostly (he's not even an every-down player any more), it's hard to argue too much. I'd have found a way to recognize Karlos Dansby as an OLB or argue for Thomas Davis' quiet breakout season. Jon Beason is definitely deserving at the reserve ILB spot; there's a strong argument that he's played better than Patrick Willis. Bradie James and London Fletcher get honorable mentions and E.J. Henderson would have been right there had he stayed healthy.
Can't argue with the three cornerback selections. Chris Gamble, Charles Tillman and Corey Webster have all been pretty consistent, but none have a clearly stronger argument. At first glance, Nick Collins is a surprising selection. He's definitely played better this year, though, and O.J. Atogwe may have been his only real competition at FS in the NFC.
The AFC is much weaker at end than the NFC. Both Freeney and Mathis are solid players, but neither are close to the all-around talent that was left out in the NFC. It may have been nice to see a 3-4 end like Aaron Smith or Ty Warren recognized here. Awesome trio of tackles cost Haloti Ngata, Vince Wilfork, Jamal Williams and Tony Brown any chance at recognition. Ngata may be the best defender left off the team in either conference.
Very hard to argue with the three OLB selections, but Calvin Pace, Lamarr Woodley and Keith Bulluck all deserve honorable mention for their solid all-around contributions. Inside, Stephen Cooper and Kirk Morrison toil in silence in the AFC West and DeMeco Ryans battled admirably through injury for most of the season. Lewis and Farrior anchor the best defenses in the conference (along with Tennessee) and were most deserving.
At corner, there's Asomugha and everyone else. The everyone else could have been much different, though. There's an argument that Nick Harper may be a better corner than Cortland Finnegan, which is more praise for Harper than an indictment of Finnegan, who is deserving in his own right. Revis has had his ups and downs this season. Ike Taylor and Kelvin Hayden, as well as an injured Rashean Mathis were probably in the mix as well. Hard to argue with Troy Polamalu, Chris Hope and Ed Reed at safety. Gibril Wilson may not be in their class on the field, but is a solid player. Yeremiah Bell's breakout season could have been recognized as well.
With rare exception, this group looks very solid.
